Standing Announcement for Residential (Shelter and/or Transitional Foster Care) Services for Unaccompanied Children-LICENSED AND TEXAS-EXEMPT AND FLORIDA-DELICENSED ONLY

II Federal Award Information; Section IV.2 Content and Form Application Submission; Section IV.4 Submission Dates and Times; Section V.1. Criteria; Section VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements; and VII. HHS Award Agency Contact(s) VIII. Other Information; and Appendices A-D. The Office of Refugee Resettlement/Division of Unaccompanied Children’s Operations (ORR/DUCO), within the Administration for Children and Families, provides temporary shelter care and other child welfare-related services to UC in ORR custody.  Residential care services begin once ORR accepts a UC for placement and end when the minor is released from ORR custody, turns 18 years of age, or the minor’s immigration case results in a final disposition of removal from the United States.  Residential care and other child welfare-related services are provided by State-licensed residential care programs in the least restrictive setting appropriate for the UC’s age and special needs.  ORR is announcing the availability of funds under this Standing Notice of Funding Opportunity (SNOFO) to seek shelter care providers, including group homes and transitional foster care. With the exception of certain programs in Texas, and Florida  residential care providers must be licensed by an appropriate licensing agency to provide residential, group, or foster care services for children. Texas-based programs are excepted from the licensing requirement when either (1) the program had an appropriate license as of August 30, 2021, but the license was rescinded pursuant to 26 Texas Administrative Code  (TAC) § 745.115(1)(B) (exempting, on a temporary basis, federally affiliated child-care facilities from the state licensure requirement); or (2) are currently licensed in the state of Texas, but are reasonably likely to have their license rescinded pursuant to 26 TAC § 745.115(1)(B) if the provider becomes a federally affiliated child-care facility funded under an ORR grant award. Florida-based programs are excepted from the licensing requirement when either (1) the program had an appropriate license as of September 28, 2021, but the Florida Department of Children and Families allowed the program’s license to lapse or expire pursuant to Florida Executive Order No. 21-223, § 8 by refusing to render a timely decision on the program’s license renewal application or denying such application; or (2) the program is currently licensed in the state of Florida, but is reasonably likely to have its license lapse or expire as a result of Florida Executive Order No. 21-223, § 8.  Please refer to the SNOFO when it publishes for more details on application closing dates and project periods.